Sliding jaw supporting clasp



Feb 18, 1947. H. P. BOTTS 2,416,150

7 SLIDING JAW SUPPORTING CLASP Filed Oct. 19, 1944 INVENTOR Hu 6H PBerra ATTOR EY Patented Feb. 18, 1947 SLIDING JAW SUPPORTING CLASP HughP. Botts, New York, N. Y., assignor of onehalfto Lawrence G. Botts, NewYork, N. Y.

Application October 19, 1944, Serial No. 559,426

This invention relates to clasp devices adapted for use in connectionwith garters or other sup porting straps of any kind or class to engageor grasp an article for supporting the latter. More particularly, theinvention relates to devices of this class comprising an elongatedtapered body part and a tapered sleeve slidably engaging the body partand forming a wedge element coacting with the body part to engage andretain an article within and between coacting bevelled surfaces of thebody part and sleeve. The invention also further deals with devices ofthis kind wherein the body part includes at one end thereof an'apertured head for engagement of a strap or band therewith. The novelfeatures of the invention will be best understood from the followingdescription when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in whichcertain embodiments ofthe invention are disclosed, and in which theseparate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in eachof the views; and in which: V

Fig. 1 is a face view of a clasp device shown in a detached position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the gripper sleeve of thedevice in a raised position.

Fig. 3 is a side edge view of the device as seen in Fig. 1. r

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the device as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 4inclusive as applied to part of the leg encircling band of a garterpreparatory for attachment of a sock or stocking therewith.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a complete garter andillustrating the clasp device engaging the upper edge portion of astocking; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another form of clasp device which Iemploy in illustrating another use thereof.

In Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, I have shown at Ill an elongated body part ofa clasp device, the central portion of which is defined by tapered wallsI I converging in the direction of the upper enlarged head end l2 of thebody portion. The head end E? has a pair of spaced elongated aperturesl3 which slightly converge toward each other in the direction of theupper end of said 7 head. The lower end M of the body portion it is alsoenlarged and defined by outwardly bulged rounded side edges I5.

Arranged upon the body portion ii! is a narrow sleeve IS in the form ofa split ring or band of Y a width less than half the length ofsaidcentral 5 Claims. (Cl. 24-263) portion, the ends of which terminatein rounded ports or garments.

as seen at ill, to provide clearance for the support or garment to whichthe clasp is attached, as will clearly appear from a consideration ofFig. 6 of the drawing.

Considering Fig. 4 of the drawing, it will appear that the sleeve 16,which may be referred to as the clamp or coupling sleeve, has its wallssufficiently spaced from the walls of the body H3 to provide clearancefor free insertion of the support or garment to be engaged by the clasp.

As seen in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing, a strap or band 29, which mayconstitute part of a leg encircling garter is threaded through theapertures l3 in the head l2, and the ends of the band 28 have suitableand more or less conventional couplings 2| and 22 for securing the endstogether around the body of a wearer.

In the use of the clasp device, it will be apparent that the couplingsleeve IE is raised upon the body Ill in the manner illustrated, forexample, in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawing, and then a support to beengaged by the clasp, such for example as the upper edge portion 23 of asock or stocking, is wrapped outwardly around the body portion Illincluding the bevelled or converging side edges ll thereof, as well asaround the lower end I l. The portions 24 and 25 of the sock or stockingare then brought together in close In Fig. 7 of the drawing is shown aslight modification wherein the body portion 2t '01" the clasp devicehas tapered side edges 27, similar to the edges ll, and a sleeve 28similar to the sleeve i6 is employed. The lower end 29 of the body 26 issubstantially the same as the end 14, whereas the head end 35 has asingle transverse aper-, ture 31 at the upper end portion thereof toreceive the loop 32 of a supporting strap 33 se shown in Figs. 1 to 6inclusive.

cured to a suitable garment, part of which is in dicated at 34in thisfigure.

The garment or supporting member 3d may apparent that the clasp devicemay be suitably supported in connection with other types and kinds ofgarments where it is desirable to supf-' port or hold articles of anytype or kind in position, and in this respect need not necessarily beapplied to articles of apparel and may be used as a coupling or claspfor general purposes and uses of devices of this kind.

verging to said upper end, a narrow split clamp ing'sleeve slida-blyengaging said member intermediate said ends and retained againstdisplacement from said member by said ends and said sleeve havingtapered side walls arranged adjacent and paralleling the converging sideedges of saidv central portion, wherebya sheet member folded around saidmember may be firmly clamped on said member by wedging engagement of thesheet member between the tapered walls of said sleeve and the convergingside edges of said member.

2. A clasp device for garters and similar supporting straps, said devicecomprising an elongated member, said member being definedby enlargedupper and lower ends directly'joined by a long central portion havingside edges converg- The device shown in Fig. '7 will operate sub}stantially in the same manner as the devices In both devices, it willappear that they are of economic construction and can be composed ofsheet material,

andin referring to sheet material, both metal and plastic materials areto be considered. some instances, the materials may be cast or molded tofurther simplify manufacturing costs, and here reference is particularlymade to the -use of plastic materials, particularly such materials ascapable of being die cast or'molded. In using plastics, the material maybe transparent or substantially so, thus presenting a sanitaryappearance. On the other hand, the same may be composed of variouscolored materials in harmony with uses to which they are applied, orconsistent with the strap or other members used in conjunctiontherewith. It will also be understood that the body part of the claspmay be of one color andthe coupling or clamping sleeve of another color.I

Devices or" the kind defined may be constructed at nominal costs and byreason of the structure employed, become substantially foolproof in usein obtaining a positive engagement with garments or other members towhich the clasp is attached.

Furthermore, this engagement is accomplished" strains byreason of awiderspread of engagement of the device with the upper edge portion ofthe stocking. I

It will appear that the body portion of the central portion or shankwith means in the form I of enlarged heads or ends for retaining theclamping or gripper sleeve against displacement y from the body. It willalso appear that sliding movement of the sleeve on the shank of the bodyinto the gripping position will be governed largely by the thickness ofthe material interposed between the shank and sleeve. Still further, 'itwill appear that in providing spaced apertures inthe upper head end ofthe body, these apertures will provide adjustment of the bodylongitudinally of a supporting strap for positioning the body on thestrap. 7 V

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A clasp device for garters and similar sup porting straps, saiddevice comprising an elongated member, said member =being defined byenlarged upper and lower ends directly joined by a long centralportionhaving side edges coni ing tosaid upper end, a narrow split clamping,sleeve slidably engagingsaid member intermediate said ends and retainedagainst displacement from said member by said ends, said sleeve havingtapered side walls arranged adjacent and paralleling the converging sideedges of said central portion, whereby a sheet member folded around saidmember may be firmly clampedon said member by wedg'ing engagement of thesheet member between the tapered walls of said sleeve and the convergingside edges of said member, and the enlarged upper end of said memberhaving means for coupling a strap therewith.

. 3. A clasp device for garters and similar supporting straps, saiddevice comprising an elongated member, said member being defined byenlarged upper and lower ends directly joined by a long central portionhaving side edges con verging to said upper end, a narrow splitclamplast named means comprising spaced elongated apertures extendinglongitudinally of said member.

4. A clasp device for garters and similar supporting straps, said devicecomprising an elon-- gated member, said member being defined by enlargedupper and lower ends directly joined by a long central-portion havingside edges converging to said upper end, a narrow split clamping sleeveslidably engaging said member intermediate said ends and retainedagainst displacement from said member by said ends, said sleeve havingtapered side walls arranged adjacent and paralleling the converging sideedges of said central portion, whereby a sheet member folded around saidmember may be firmly clamped on said member by wedging engagement of thesheet member between the tapered walls of said sleeve and the convergingside edges of said member, and the enlarged lower endof said memberhaving curved side walls joiningv the tapered side gated member, saidmember being defined by enlarged upper and lower endsrdirectly joined bya long central portion having side edges converging to said upper end, anarrow split clamping sleeve slidably engaging said member intermediatesaid ends and retained against displacement from said member by saidends, said sleeve having tapered side walls arranged adjacent andparalleling the converging side edges of said central portion, whereby asheet member folded around said member may be firmly clamped on saidmember by wedging engagement of the sheet member between the taperedwalls of said sleeve and the converging side edges of said member, theenlarged lower end of said member having curved side walls joining thetapered side walls of the central portion, and the ends of the 15'Number sleeve at the split therein being rounded.

HUGH P. BO'I'IS.

6 file of this patent:

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